Members of the Rose Tree Fox Hunting Club will celebrate their historic roots in Media, PA, May 17 and 18 with trail and pony rides, a mock hunt, and an open-mike sharing of remembrances.
The Rose Tree Fox Hunting Club was located in Media, PA for 105 years (1859 to 1964) before moving to York County fifty years ago. Members are still enjoying good foxhunting 155 years later. The weekend of May 17 and 18, Rose Tree will hold a 50th year homecoming celebration called Hounds, Horses & History: A Rose Tree Hunt Club Festival.
In cooperation with Delaware County Parks and Recreation and the Brandywine Conference and Visitor’s Bureau, the Rose Tree Fox Hunting Club will return to Rose Tree Park in Media, PA May 17 and 18 for a weekend of commemoration and learning. Members will recreate the tradition and pageantry of a Hunt with the Penn-Marydel Hounds from noon to 3pm May 18. Items that tell the story of Rose Tree will be exhibited in a tent. The Hunt is seeking pictures, trophies, mementos, hunt diaries, home movies and the like for display. At 4pm there will be a lightly-moderated discussion for the sharing of remembrances and connections. A videographer will be present at this oral-history event. A member of the old Rose Tree Staff’s family, Fred Heller, will lead a tour of the old Rose Tree Inn and Rose Tree Hunt Club buildings which are currently being used as offices.
Most activities will be open to the public at no cost.
The tentative schedule is:
Saturday, May 17:
Lunch in the Ridley Creek State Park
1pm—Six mile, two hour trail ride in Ridley Creek State Park.
5-10pm—Dinner featuring old videos, flask-mix judging, fox tales, and games such as horn blowing recognition and whip cracking.
Sunday, May 18:
10am--Tour of Jeffords Mansion by Kay Ferrari.
11am to 5pm—Rose Tree Hunt on Display, a carry-in museum of items.
Noon – 4 pm – Pony rides, food concession.
Noon to 3pm-- Mock Hunt in Rose Tree Park. Rose Tree staff, hounds, and field will ride through the 120 acre park, mingle with observers and park users to answer questions and celebrate the move from this property to York County.
3pm--Tour of Rose Tree Hunt Club and Inn buildings.
4 to 5pm--Rose Tree Hunt Connections, an open-mike sharing of remembrances.
Some of the riders on Sunday will be members who rode with Rose Tree in Media. Anyone is welcome to join the mock hunt on horseback. Anyone with a past connection to Rose Tree Fox Hunting Club is invited to join in the celebration and to share their belongings and memories in the display. To lend an item or share memories, contact Ginny Gibble, ginnygibble@yahoo.com, (717) 397-0237.